1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a continuous supply of preformed reclosable fasteners used in an apparatus for attaching a reclosable fastener to a flexible web of material. More particularly, the supply of preformed fasteners of this invention may be operatively attached to a conventional form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine in a manner that enables the packaging machine to produce high quality reclosable packages without interfering with the ordinary operation of the packaging machine, using the apparatus of the above-referenced co-pending application.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reclosable containers utilizing zipper-type fasteners are well known in the packaging industry and are used for holding, displaying and dispensing a wide variety of products ranging from hardware items to food products intended for human consumption. With the increasing consumer preference for reclosable zipper-type plastic bags, there have been continual efforts to develop packaging machines for producing such reclosable packages. This is especially true at the retail level for the sale of pre-packaged convenience items such as, for example, food products.
As is also well known in the field of flexible packaging, there presently exist numerous machines for automatically forming, filling and sealing materials in flexible containers. As a result of consumer enthusiasm toward reclosable plastic containers, the packaging industry has sought to develop packaging machines for automatically forming, filling and sealing such reclosable containers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,643 discloses a form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine with a means to apply a reclosable zipper to a web of material. However, the means for applying the zipper-type closure to the flexible web is incorporated within the packaging machine. Manufacturers currently utilizing conventional packaging machines are often unable to justify the costs involved with replacing existing machines with one such as disclosed in that ""643 patent.
It is, therefore, clear that there remains a great need in the art for a suitable apparatus for attaching a zipper-type closure to a flexible material in a fashion that is particularly adapted to cooperate with existing conventional packaging machines, thus eliminating the requirement for total replacement of present-day packaging machines. In addition, such an apparatus should be capable of adjustment in order to accommodate the manufacture of reclosable packages of various sizes and weight content. Furthermore, such an apparatus should operate in a fashion so that it will not significantly affect the ordinary operation and installation of conventional form, fill, seal and separate packaging machines to which the apparatus would be attached.
Just as apparent is the need for a supply of reclosable fasteners suitable for use in such an apparatus. Such a supply must provide fasteners to the apparatus in a manner so that the fasteners may be efficiently and properly attached to permit forming a secure and reliable reclosable package.
The present invention relates to a continuous supply of preformed reclosable fasteners used in combination with an apparatus for attaching a reclosable zipper-type fastener to a flexible material primarily intended for use with a host form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine. More specifically, the continuous supply of this invention is used in combination with the apparatus of the invention of the above-referenced co-pending application, that apparatus being adapted for use with virtually any conventional host packaging machine without the necessity of major modification or adjustment to the existing machine or its normal manner of operation.
In the present invention, the apparatus used to attach the preformed reclosable fasteners to the web from which the packages are made is operatively attached to the host packaging machine and driven by at least one programmable motor and function controller in cooperative relation with the host machine. The web of flexible material from which the host machine will ultimately form packages is directed along a first path of the apparatus by guide rollers, and a punch, or other such similar cutting device, positioned along the first path of travel makes at least one cut through a predetermined segment of the web to form a removable/rupturable portion of flexible material that will ultimately provide both convenient and tamper-evident access to the reclosable fastener of the finished container. While movement of the web along the first path is driven by the host machine, intermittent movement of the web along the first path is controlled by a web position detector disposed along that first path and operatively connected to the programmable motor and function controller, for detection of the web of flexible material at predetermined intervals. The actual position of the cutting punch along the first path is adjustable dependent upon the size of the finished container to be made by the host machine.
The apparatus further comprises means for guiding the supply of preformed reclosable zipper-type fasteners along a second path of travel through the apparatus by the programmable motor and function controller. Disposed downstream from the primary supply of reclosable fasteners at what may be termed the distal end of the second path of travel is a pusher for engaging an individual one of the fastener strips to index the fasteners along the second path to means for transferring individual fastener strips into juxtaposition with the segment of the flexible material for sealing in overlying relation to the cut made therein.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supply of reclosable zipper-type fasteners comprises a roll of fasteners, with adjacent ones attached to each other at their respective fused ends such that the sealing strips are disposed in substantially transverse relation to the direction of travel of the second path through the apparatus. Just downstream from the pusher, a separator, preferably defined by a pair of knives, detaches an individual one of the fastener strips from the supply, and the detached strip is placed within a corresponding one of a plurality of strip receivers formed on the surface of a transfer drum. The individual strips are retained within their corresponding strip receiver, and, in the preferred embodiment, the programmable motor intermittently rotates the transfer drum in response to signals received from the function controller so as to dispose one of the strip receivers and the detached strip held therein into juxtaposition with one of the cuts formed in the web of flexible material. Means are provided for releasing the strip from its retainer and, then, for sealing the strip to the flexible web.
The flexible web having reclosable zipper-type fasteners sealed thereto is then passed to the host machine for forming, filling, sealing and separating reclosable containers therefrom.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.